Good Grief

Sorrow of the Soul

Animals, and other creatures that God has made, act according to instinct and based primarily on fulfilling their primal needs such as food, rest, or mating. However, even in the wild these creatures have been observed to exhibit behaviors that seem to convey happiness, excitement, sadness, or even grief. Many domesticated animals, including pets, livestock, and those kept in unnatural habitats such as zoos, develop even more humanistic behavior around emotional stimulation probably as a result of unintended environmental training.

But one of the things that separates humanity from the rest of creation is that when Adam was created he was made not just a body but a living soul (Genesis 2:5-7). Other creatures, at least among the natural creations, do not have souls. This means that even if their body or brain can comprehend some levels of emotional intelligence the deeper experience goes deeper than emotion to the immaterial part of us called our soul. At some point we may consider the brighter side of these experiences but in this post I want to consider our experience of sadness and grief as believers.

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

It is the natural state of things for people to be happy because they are experiencing great victories or pleasures. But, as Jesus teaches these first century Jews, who are still under the obligation to the old covenant and its law, He flips the understanding around (Matthew 5:4). The question that we should be asking is how is it that they are happy? And what is it that they are mourning? 

In God’s covenant with Israel, He had given clear stipulations about how the nation would be blessed if they were faithful and how they would be cursed if they were disobedient. Therefore, what these mourners are sorrowful over is the unfaithfulness of the people to the commands of God. Also, the reason that they will be comforted is because their tears are the fruit of their faithful hearts. 

As we consider mourning as believers we must realize that as those who trust in Christ it is right for us to be sorrowful over sin. First, it is right as those who because of the work of grace in our lives are eager to repent, to mourn therefore over our own sin. We desire obedience and love Christ’s commands, so we should expect to experience sorrow over even the simplest or slightest actual sin.

However, like the blessed ones of this old covenant age who Jesus was teaching, we also ought to grieve the sins of other people, especially the sins of the church. When brothers or sisters sin whether against us or others we ought to be sad. Not because Christ's sacrifice is sufficient to save them but because the testimony has been hindered. Jesus is glorified through the obedience of His people.

Godly Grief

The Apostle Paul tells us that godly grief leads us to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:8-11). But the righteous grief of believers also accompanies genuine love and care. We are grieved over broken relationships, church division, and strife among believers because of the people. The grief is both a natural and supernatural reaction in direct proportion to how much we have loved. You and I are probably not driven to tears over every catastrophe that scrolls by in our feed but we are broken over the same things when they happen to those we know and love. The only way to avoid grief and sorrow on this side of heaven is to live your life completely void of love for anyone and that price is simply too high!

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